Turkish Cooking

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Addict

Before we get onto any recipes it would first be a good idea to go over the list of the most common spices used in Turkish cookery.

Allspice - Kofte Bahari

Flavour is reminiscent of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Cinnamon - Tarcin

Sweet, warm, nutty, pleasantly scented; in sticks or ground.

Cumin - Kimyon

Strong aroma of the spice is a perfect for many vegetable dishes and salads. Hot, slightly bitter, ground or as whole seeds.

Fennel Seed - Anason Tohumu

Warm, sweet, liquorice-like; seeds can be used whole or ground.

Ginger - Zencefil

Spicy-sweet, hot; available fresh, ground or in crystalised chunks.

Garlic - Sarimsak

Garlic is used throughout the Middle East, and valued for its health properties as well as flavour.

Nutmeg

Sweet, warm; whole or ground.

Paprika - Paprika

Rich, earthy flavour; ground in hot, mild and sweet varieties. Although it is often associated with Eastern Europe it’s widely used in the Middle East in soups, meat dishes, salad dressings, mezes and garnishes.

Peppercorns- Karabiber

Hot, biting; best when freshly ground.

Red Pepper Flakes - Kirmizi Pul Biber

Spicy, warm; may be mild or intense; also may be called crushed red pepper.

Saffron - Safran

This really expensive spice derived from the a type of orchid plant. It adds a nice color and flavor to the dishes.

Basil - Feslegen

Taste offers hints of mint, cloves, anise; dried is more pungent than fresh.

Bay Leaf - Defne Yapragi

Slightly bitter, aromatic; intensifies when dried.

Dill - Dereotu

Light, mild, lemony; fresh offers more punch than dried.

Mint - Nane

Cool, refreshing; significantly more flavorful fresh.

Oregano

Strong, peppery; usually used in conjunction with other seasonings; stronger dried then fresh.

Parsley - Maydanoz

Grassy, aromatic; fresh available with curly or flat leaves; flat-leaf is more flavorful then curly, both more then so dried.

Sage

Smoky, woodsy, vaguely bitter; taste strengthens when dried.

Sumac - Sumak

These dried edible berries crushed to a powder and are delicious sprinkled on kebabs or fresh salad.

Addict

Eating plays a very important role in Turkish peoples lives. The evening meal is especially so, its where all the family members enjoy being together and have a chat. If the meal is served on a single plate instead of individual plates, you are supposed to eat what is just in front of you.

The culinary art in Turkey is made of a great variety of delicious dishes which are a mixture of various delicacies inherited from different regions of the vast Ottoman Empire.

Among the different parts of Turkish cooking, the most notable are

Hors d oeuvres (Meze)

Pastries (Borek) pastries filled with meat, cheese or vegetables

Stuffed vegetables and vine leaves (dolma)

Broiled or roasted meat dishes (kebab or kofte)

Different kinds of rice dishes (Pilav)

and finally vegetables cooked in olive oil (Zeytinyagli)

A proper Turkish meal is always polished off with a dessert and finally Turkish coffee.

I have selected the most popular recipes and typically ones that beginners will be able to handle.

Addict

This has to be one of my favourites and commonly found as a small side portion with main meals.

If you have one of those steam machines, this recipe is ideal and guarantees perfect results everytime.

2 glasses bulgur (boiled and pounded wheat),

4 tablespoons margarine,

3 medium size onions,

1 large tomato (peeled and chopped),

3 glasses meat stock,

1/2 Tbs salt.

Chop the onions finely, brown them in margarine. Add the washed and drained bulgur. Brown them stirring constantly for 15 minutes.

Add the salt, chopped tomato and meat stock. Mix well. Cover with a lid and boil on medium heat for 10 minutes. Then lower the heat to a minimum and cook until all the stock has been absorbed. Mix well with a wooden spoon and serve.

Note: To cook this dish in a steamer, brown the onions in margarine and when browned, add all ingredients to the steamer and steam for 35-40 mins.

This is an ideal side order recipe and will be welcomed with kofte, kebabs and steaks or chicken dishes - a good all rounder and makes a change from boiled rice!

Fan

I thought i would add how u make turkish rice as it is a important dish in the turkish cookery.
it can be maid in many diffirent ways but i have just put the recepie for plain rice

4.servings

2 glasses of rice
3tablespoons of butter
3 glasses of water (best of its with chocken boullion)
2 traspoons of salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Place the rice in a bowl and cover it with hot water and a little bit of salt. Let it stand for about 25-30min till the water is cool.
Wash and drain the rice well.
Melt the butter in a pot.
Add the water, stock, salt and sugar.
When it starts to boil, put the rice down on the lowest level and let it simmer for about 15min.
When the water its gone, turn of the heat and let it stand for another 15min.
Mix well before serving

Boil the rice in 8 glasses of meat or chicken stock, on low heat.
Mix the youghurt with the egg yolks and flour.
Stirr constantly and add 2 glasses of boiling stock, and after mixing it well add it to the rest of the stock with rice.
Let it simmer for about 10min, and add the butter.
Add the dried mint, and let it simmer for a couple of minuts and then serve

Preparation of the meat filling:
chop the onoions and brown then lightly in the margarine.
Add the rice with a cup of water, cover and cook on medium heat for about 10min.
Remove from the heat and add the minced meat, peeled tomatoes, that r cut into small pieces. Also add the pepper and salt and mix well

Preparation of the dolma:
Cut around the stem of the pepper and take the lits off (do not throw them away).
Remove the seeds and wash the good.
stuff the peppers with meat fillings and put the lits back on.
But them side by side on a big saucepan, with the lits up!
Add 2 1/2 glass of water a little margarine and some salt.
Cover and cook them for around 50min until they r soft.

Addict

Not everyones cup of tea but I know that once you try this popular, cool, nutritious drink, you will get addicted to it.

250gr fresh low-fat or non-fat yogurt

1 cup cold water,

Salt to taste,

1 cup ice cubes.

Place the yoghurt with the ice and salt in an electric blender. The skill in making and authentic Ayran is to blend and a little water. Blend and add a little water. Continue until the consistency of the Ayran is thick, but pourable. Serve well chilled.

Fan

Cut the peppers into thin rings and brown them lightly in the butter.
Add peeled tomatoes that r cut into small pieces and cook for around 5-10 min till the juice is almost gone.
Beat teh eggs and add salt and pepper.
Pure it into the pan and stirre constantly.
Take care the egg wont get to dry.
serve with bread

Melt the butter and cut the filo in half so that each sheet fits the bottom of the baking pan.

Generously butter the bottom and sides of the baking pan and place the filo, one sheet at a time, in the baking pan.

Generously spread butter on each sheet of filo as it is placed in the pan. Every 6 to 8 sheets of filo spread a layer of walnut mix.

Continue layering filo sheets and walnuts until filo is complete. Pour any remaining butter over top of the baklava.

The secret to good flaky baklava is to have each sheet of filo well buttered so that the sheets do not stick together.

With a sharp knife, cut the baklava diagonally to form diamond shaped pieces.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake the baklava for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

For the syrup:

Mix one cup water, two cups sugar, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves and 3/4 teaspoons cinnamon in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes. Pour the boiling syrup over the cool baklava and allow to cool completely again.

Addict

Cut the peppers into thin rings and brown them lightly in the butter.
Add peeled tomatoes that r cut into small pieces and cook for around 5-10 min till the juice is almost gone.
Beat teh eggs and add salt and pepper.
Pure it into the pan and stirre constantly.
Take care the egg wont get to dry.
serve with bread

Divide into even portions that are equal to double the number of servings being made. For example, if you are making this recipe to serve four, divide the seasoned meat into 8 portions. Form each portion into a 2 1/2" - 3" long sausage. To prevent the meat from sticking too much, wet hands with cold tap water when forming the patties.

Insert a flat-bladed skewer lengthwise through the meat. Gently flatten the meat & shape it into an oval (about 3" x 1 1/2") around each skewer. Repeat, placing two kababs on each skewer.

Arrange skewers on a foil-lined broiling tray. Brush lightly on both sides with remaining olive oil. Broil about 4" from source of heat until done (but not browned), about 1 1/2 - 2 minutes per side. Serve immediately over rice pilaf.

Serving Ideas: Serve with cucumbers in yogurt & a rice or bulgar pilaf.